On Saturday night at the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Drew McIntyre successfully defended his WWE Championship by defeating Sami Zayn. This victory extended McIntyre’s undefeated streak against Zayn in WWE matches to 12-0, reinforcing his dominance in their rivalry. The match was McIntyre’s first televised title defense since claiming the championship on January 9 during the ‘Friday Night SmackDown’ episode.
McIntyre’s Path to WrestleMania 42 Strengthens
Before Saturday’s match with Zayn, McIntyre secured his title by overcoming Cody Rhodes in a grueling ‘Three Stages of Hell’ match, aided by interference from Jacob Fatu. With this win, McIntyre is positioned to enter WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas as the reigning WWE Champion for the first time in his career. His previous WrestleMania title matches include a victory over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 36, a loss to Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 37, and a notable triumph against Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. However, his reign following the Rollins win was cut short when Damian Priest cashed in his Money in the Bank contract and captured the championship from him.
Sami Zayn’s Struggle to Capture the WWE Championship Continues
Sami Zayn earned his spot at the Royal Rumble by winning a Fatal-4-Way match against Damian Priest, Randy Orton, and Trick Williams on the night’s main card. Despite his efforts, Zayn was unable to claim the WWE Championship, a milestone he has yet to achieve in his career. Prior to the match, Zayn expressed his perspective on his journey:
“I’m not a big destiny guy and I never say things like ‘it’s meant to be’ because I try to stay away from cliches like that,”
Sami Zayn said before the bout.
The timing of this has been exceptional. Once the stuff with The Bloodline happened and I stepped into my own and main evented WrestleMania, (the WWE Championship) is within arms reach. For the last three years, almost, it’s been this journey to do this one thing that I haven’t done. That’s to win the WWE Championship.
?Sami Zayn, WWE Superstar
Despite his resolve, Zayn remains at the start of the journey to claim WWE’s top prize.
McIntyre’s Upcoming Challenges at the Royal Rumble and Beyond
With the championship defense behind him, Drew McIntyre’s focus now shifts toward the upcoming Men’s Royal Rumble match. The event’s winner may choose to challenge McIntyre for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42, intensifying the stakes. Notably, McIntyre’s prominent rivals Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu are both competing in the 30-man over-the-top-rope Royal Rumble, adding tension and urgency to the buildup for WrestleMania.
Importance of the Royal Rumble Outcome for the WWE Title Picture
The Royal Rumble results are highly significant, as the winner’s choice to challenge for the WWE Championship could redefine McIntyre’s WrestleMania plans. McIntyre’s continued success and the presence of strong contenders like Rhodes and Fatu mean that the path forward will be fiercely contested. For Sami Zayn, the event marks another missed opportunity to reach the pinnacle of WWE, underscoring the ongoing challenges in his quest for the championship.
.@DMcIntyreWWE RETAINS! 💪 pic.twitter.com/mDCBZGdcEQ
— WWE (@WWE) January 31, 2026
